The enormous splendor of Scituate’s scenic coastline can only really be appreciated from above. A new book, “Seacoast Scituate By Air”, offers views without having to board a plane.
The book is a collaboration between three Scituate residents – historian / author Lyle Nyberg and pilots / aerial photographers Bill Richardson and Gary Banks.
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“This is the first scenic study of Scituate’s fascinating sea coast,” Nyberg said. “Here are 70 gorgeous photos in color. They cover almost all the coastal areas of Scituate from north to south including Glades, Minot Beach, Scituate Harbor with its lighthouse from 1811, Peggotty Beach, North River and all four cliffs – all the way down to Marshfield. It also weaves into the centuries-long stories of these places. “
There are also photos of some of the latest housing projects in the city, including the Toll Brothers development, Seaside at Scituate.
Bird’s eye view
Richardson, who grew up in the West End of Scituate and graduated from the Scituate High School class in 1966, provided images for the book from his collection of Scituate antennas dating back to the 1970s, he said. He also helped with the captions.
“Although I have never written a book before, I used my photos and slides for the Town Meeting in the 70s and 80s to help the Nature Conservation Commission with the purchase of open spaces, as well as for my airport planning work by using aerial photos in public presentations for to illustrate improvement projects ”
The images used in the book were taken out of the open window of either his or Bank’s high-winged Cessna private jet over a period of 40-odd years with handheld 35mm cameras, Richardson said.
“The pictures of Gary and Bill are the highlight of the book,” Nyberg said, adding that there are no pictures of him in the book. “I was a writer, editor and publisher. We all three contributed, including research into the many questions that arose about the history of these particular coastal sites.”
Nyberg also put the book together and made sure that it was published.
A team effort
Nyberg used Banks and Richardson’s “spectacular photo” of Third Cliff on the back of his book, “On a Cliff,” he said.
“After the book was published in December 2021, I realized that they had a group of excellent pictures of the entire coast of Scituate. I thought the pictures deserved to be published so that others could see the beauty of our surroundings.”
He contacted them and they agreed on the project.
Banks, a retired American Airlines captain who now flies his 1959 Cessna 182B, moved to Scituate in 1967, where he and his wife, Florence, raised two daughters.
“We still live in Scituate and enjoy life along the Indian Trail,” he said.
He had met Nyberg through the Scituate Historical Society, which offered its services of any antenna for Nyberg’s books.
Banks has used his photos for his own book, “Trysting Pature and Other Musings,” he said.
“This book explores a 22-acre package on the Indian Trial. The images are used to define the area.”
While houses can be seen from the aerial footage in “Seacoast Scituate By Air”, Nyberg points out that the images most of all show the astonishing variety of shapes and colors in Scituate’s seaside landscape.
“They are just beautiful and interesting to look at. And you can learn something from the great history of our city, ”he said.
He feels he should thank Richardson’s wife, Jean, who “captured us on a windy day in January and took our picture seen on the back.”
“I would also like to thank Susannah Green of Scituate for another wonderful piece of work creating the cover. The book is mostly a local product, made in Scituate and made over Scituate.”
As for his favorite picture, Nyberg said it is on the cover of the book.
“It’s a great picture of Scituate Harbor. When you look closer, you can see all four cliffs and the North River. I’ve never noticed this before, but the main harbor has the shape of a heart, as highlighted in this picture.”
Richardson enjoys the idea that others might appreciate the beauty and diversity of Scituate’s unique coast when viewed as he and Banks are privileged to see it from above.
“I hope this inspires others to recognize and appreciate the extraordinary coastal environment we live in,” he said.
Buttonwood Books in Cohasset will carry this book from around April 1, Nyberg said.
The book will also be available on Amazon.
Visit lylenyberg.com for more information
Follow Ruth Thompson on Twitter @scituateruth